Nine BC Football Players Garner All-ACC Honors

Nine BC Football Players Garner All-ACC Honors from Athlon Sports

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Nine members of the Boston College football team were named to the Athlon Sports All-ACC teams today. Five Eagles collected first-team honors including sophomore running back AJ Dillon, senior offensive lineman Chris Lindstrom, senior tight end Tommy Sweeney, senior defensive back Lukas Denis and senior return specialist Michael Walker.

Senior defensive end Zach Allen was named to the second team while sophomore offensive lineman Ben Petrula, senior linebacker Connor Strachan and senior defensive back Will Harris were tabbed to the fourth team.

Last season, BC had just four players named to the Athlon All-ACC preseason teams. The Eagles ended the 2017 campaign with nine players garnering All-ACC honors.

Dillon was the 2017 ACC Rookie of the Year and earned Freshman All-America accolades after a sensational rookie debut. The New London, Conn., native rushed for 1,589 yards and 14 touchdowns. He finished second in ACC history for rushing yards by a freshman and was seventh nationally in rushing yards.

Lindstrom graded out as BC’s best offensive lineman a year ago en route to All-ACC second-team honors. The Dudley, Mass., product has 36 career starts under his belt and was the key cog in an offensive line that featured the nation’s 23rd-best rushing offense in 2017.

Sweeney collected All-ACC third-team honors in 2017 as he led the Eagles in receptions (36) and receiving yards (512). A three-year starter with 35 career starts, Sweeney became the first BC tight end since 2008 to earn All-ACC accolades last year.

Denis was a Walter Camp Foundation All-American (second team) in 2017 as he tied for second nationally with seven interceptions. An All-ACC second-team selection, Denis was a key member of a BC defense that ranked 12th nationally in interceptions and third in pass efficiency defense.

Walker led the nation in combined kick and punt return yards (1,203) as a junior as he was named to the All-ACC third-team as a return specialist. Walker was sixth nationally and first in the ACC with 13.1 yards per punt return in 2017.

Allen was one of only two defensive linemen nationally with 100+ tackles in 2017. An All-ACC honorable mention pick, Allen finished the season with 100 tackles, 15.5 tackles-for-loss, and 6.0 sacks. The 15.5 TFLs ranked Allen in the top-10 in BC single-season history.

Strachan earned All-ACC honorable mention honors in 2016 after his 2017 season was cut short due to a knee injury after two games. In 2016, he led the Eagles with 80 tackles on the season. The middle linebacker was a key component of one of the nation’s best defenses in 2016. He helped lead a BC defense that ranked on eight top-10 lists nationally, including ninth in total defense (314.2 yards/game), second in sacks (3.62 sacks/game) and 10th in turnovers gained (27) in 2016.

Petrula collected ESPN.com Freshman All-America honors as a true freshman in 2017. Petrula started the final 12 games of the season at center for Boston College after a season-ending knee injury to starting center Jon Baker. Despite never playing center at any level, Petrula thrived in his rookie campaign in the middle of a stout Boston College offensive line.

Harris is one of the most underrated players in the nation after being a three-year starter at the Heights. The Suwanee, Ga., native was third on the team with 83 tackles in 2017 to go along with four fumble recoveries, one sack, and one interception. Harris has appeared in 38 career games with 29 career starts during his career in Chestnut Hill.

Boston College opens the 2018 season at Alumni Stadium versus in-state foe UMass on Saturday, Sept. 1 at 1 p.m. Season tickets are now on sale for the 2018 campaign that features home games against Clemson, Miami and ACC foes Louisville and Syracuse. To purchase tickets, visit BCEagles.com.